Des Cahill will not present The Sunday Game next year after 15 years in the role
Sport

Des Cahill will not present The Sunday Game next year after 15 years in the role

THE SUNDAY GAME will no longer have Des Cahill as part of its of its coverage after the Dubliner announced today that he would be stepping away from the role after 15 years.

Cahill has led the coverage of one of Ireland's most loved sports programmes for more than a decade but admitted that going to live games is something that has promoted his decision to step aside.

He will now take up a role on Saturday Sport and Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1.  His colleague Joanne Cantwell will continue to anchor The Sunday Game Live.

Cahill's statement, read: "The reason I want a change is very straightforward - I want to go to live games again!.

"It's been a privilege to host The Sunday Game for the past 15 seasons, but I miss the sense of fun and anticipation as you make your way to a match, the feeling of tension and excitement, the roar of the crowd.

"I can't wait to experience that again when I'm fronting Saturday Sport and Sunday Sport live from some of the most iconic venues in the country".

He continued: "I'm hugely grateful and in debt to the fantastic team on The Sunday Game, who work so hard to bring the programme to air every week throughout the Championship.

"I've no doubt that their passion and commitment to deliver for the audience will continue in the seasons ahead with a new presenter in the hot seat."

Cahill also said the controversial 2010 Leinster football final, where Louth were denied victory by an injury-time Joe Sheridan goal shouldn't have stood was his highlight during his time in the role.

"It was sensational. Were Meath going to offer a replay, even on the Sunday Game that night? he added.

"But the World Cup final was on. We weren't coming on until after the final, and that went to extra-time. It was after 11.30pm we went on air. I was so disappointed because I said we would have had such a huge audience for this and such a fascinating programme.

"We ended up having near half a million viewers, even only starting at that time. Everybody wanted to see it and see the reaction from Meath."

The new presenter of The Sunday Game will be announced in 2023.